broody cochin worried about her health

[wallychkn]

I have a very broody cochin hen. Sometimes i have to pick her up and pull her off the nest. She went broody about three weeks ago. I have seen her off the nest a few times and she is eating. Im just worried that she is sitting too much. Im thinking about getting some fertlized eggs and letting her jatch them. Should i be worried about her health?

 

[MissJenny]

For starters --

I can't imagine it's good for the them to go broody for too long. And I am not sure if eventually they just snap out of it. When mine went broody I got her eggs as soon as I could, so's she wasn't in that state any longer than necessary. While she was broody, I made sure she had a small dish of food and water within reach. The banties are pretty small to begin with and keeping weight on them whilst they are broody can be a challenge. Do you have a source for fertile eggs. I would make this decision sooner rather than later.

Jenny

 

[Fritatta]

I understand that a broody will sit until she hatches. you have to either break her (see links below) or give her fertilized eggs to complete the cycle.

HEre are 2 wonderful thread on broody hens. I bet everything you want to know is in here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=499951
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=457488

 

[RareBreedFancier]

If she's already been broody for 3 weeks you might want to think about getting her some day old chicks instead of eggs. Just slip them under her at night and she'll adopt them as her own.

 

[wallychkn]

I have a friend with a farm and he gave me some fertilized eggs. I will let her hatch them out and hopefully that will break her. Txs for the help...